JP2002295936A - Refrigerator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an easy-to-handle refrigerator. SOLUTION: The refrigerator connectable with the Internet comprises means for storing the type of the refrigerator, means for requesting information concerning to the type, and a control means for receiving the information concerning to the type, e.g. information concerning to the description of handling, and controlling the storage means to store that information. Since description of handling can be displayed on a display and can be spoken by voice, even a weak-sighted person or a person handicapped in sight can understand the description of handling of this type of refrigerator and can handle the refrigerator easily.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a refrigerator provided with a communication control device connectable to the Internet.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Refrigerators that can be connected to the Internet are:
For example, there is one described in JP-A-2000-12224. The refrigerator described in this publication has a configuration in which a communication control device capable of connecting to the Internet is provided, and it is described that information such as images obtained through the Internet can be displayed.

[0003]

The refrigerator described in the above publication is considered to be capable of connecting to the Internet and displaying the information, but it is necessary to use a model to obtain information on the refrigerator currently used. The user had to search for the information by inputting such information, and it was not easily available, and did not make the refrigerator currently used easy to use.

[0004] In addition, although a refrigerator is generally accompanied by an instruction manual, reading this instruction manual requires a great deal of effort for people with reduced vision or visually impaired persons. It was not an easy-to-use refrigerator for people. In particular, recent refrigerators have many functions, and the number of pages in the instruction manual tends to increase in order to explain these many functions.

[0005] The present invention provides a refrigerator which is easy to handle.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a communication control device that can be connected to the Internet, a display device that displays the status and settings of the refrigerator, a speaker that emits sounds related to the display, and controls various settings. Storage means for storing the model of the refrigerator, request means for requesting information about the model, and control means for receiving the information about the model and storing the information in the storage means. It is provided with.

[0007] The information relating to the model is used as information relating to a handling explanation.

[0008] Further, there is provided an operation button for starting the operation of the request means and the control means.

[0009]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 7 show a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator 1, 2 is a door of a refrigerator (a storage room controlled at about 3 ° C.), and 3 is a vegetable room (5).
Door of a storage room controlled to about ° C), 4 is a door of an ice making room, 5
Is a door of a switching room, and 6 is a door of a freezing room (a storage room controlled at about −20 ° C.).

Reference numeral 7 denotes a speaker for emitting an alarm sound or a synthetic sound, and 8 denotes a display using a color liquid crystal. An operation unit 9 includes various operation buttons.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically showing the refrigerator. Reference numeral 10 denotes a control device (control means), which is composed of a microcomputer or the like for controlling each refrigerator. Reference numeral 11 denotes a communication control device which includes a modem or the like and can be connected to the Internet. Reference numeral 12 denotes a storage means, which is constituted by a nonvolatile storage element or the like, and stores a model, a serial number, an instruction manual, and a version of the instruction manual of the refrigerator. Reference numeral 13 denotes a telephone line, and 14 denotes a modular jack for connecting to the Internet via the telephone line and the provider 19 from the modular jack. Reference numeral 15 denotes a power plug, and reference numeral 16 denotes a power outlet.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged explanatory view of the display 8 and the operation unit 9, wherein 20 is a power saving button for saving power, 21 is an iris button for performing cooling, 22 is a humidity switching button, and 23 is refrigeration. A refrigerator compartment button for changing the set temperature of the compartment, 24 is a freezer compartment button for changing the set temperature of the freezer compartment, 25 is a selection button for selecting in which temperature zone the switching compartment should be used, and 26 is a display 8 Button for displaying an instruction on the Internet, 27 is an Internet button for connecting to the Internet (operation button for starting the operation of the request means and control means), and 28 is selected when connecting to the Internet or when displaying the instruction. A cross key 29 for performing the operation is a decision button for deciding what is selected by the cross key. Although not shown in the drawings, these buttons are displayed in Braille on the side thereof so that even a blind person can operate them.

The refrigerator 1 has a refrigerant circuit formed by connecting a compressor, a condenser, a decompression device, and an evaporator in an annular manner with a refrigerant pipe, but this is not shown. Further, the refrigerant circuit is filled with, for example, R134a and is used as a refrigerant.

The user can select the model, serial number, address, name,
A customer registration postcard with a telephone number or the like is mailed to a service department (a service department of a manufacturer or a service company entrusted by the manufacturer) in advance. For this reason, if data on the model and serial number of the refrigerator is sent to the server of the service department via the Internet, the service department can immediately grasp the user's address, name, telephone number, etc., and respond quickly to various services You can do it. The user has a contract with an Internet connection company called a provider in advance.

With respect to the refrigerator 1 configured as described above,
The operation at the time of Internet connection will be described.

When the user presses the Internet button 27, the communication controller 11 connects to the Internet. When connected to the Internet, a menu screen as shown in the display 8 of FIG. 3 is displayed. The user
The cross key 28 is operated to select a menu, and the enter button 29 is pressed. In FIG. 3, in a state where “2. Download instruction manual” is selected,
Is pressed, the information of the refrigerator 1 is
That is, the information of the model, the serial number, and the version of the current handling description is sent to the service department server. When this information is sent, the server of the service department automatically compares the information with the latest version of the instruction manual, indicates only the difference to the communication control device 11, and the communication control device 11 downloads a file of only this difference, It is stored in the storage means 12.

After the download is completed, if there is no need to operate other menus, select "end" and end.

Next, the case where the instruction button 26 is pressed will be described. When the user presses the instruction button 26, an instruction is displayed on the display 8. This instruction is displayed in pictures (which may be moving images) and characters, and is explained using synthesized speech. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram in the case where the description of “How to use the Internet button” is displayed. When this screen is displayed, various operation instructions can be displayed and explained by selecting “return”, “advance”, “end”, “initial menu” with the cross key 28 and pressing the enter button 29. It is.

For this reason, even if the user of the refrigerator 1 is a person with reduced visual acuity or a visually impaired person, there is an assist by this voice, so that the effort to read the printed instruction manual is reduced. In comparison, the instruction manual can be easily understood. Therefore, the printed instruction manual can be made thinner or completely unnecessary.

FIG. 5 shows an example of how to use the hurry button 21 as an example of the operation method of the refrigerator 1. In the state shown in the upper display unit 8 of FIG.
The description of the screen switches as shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 shows an example of a guide for the storage period of food as an example of a utilization guide of the refrigerator 1.
FIG. 7 shows an example in which precautions for using the freezer compartment are displayed as precautions when using the refrigerator 1.

The handling instructions described in this specification are the operation method of the refrigerator, the method of use, the precautions for use, and the like. Also,
The information useful for this model includes the above-mentioned instruction manual, contact information (telephone number, etc.) of the service department of the refrigerator, information for caution about food poisoning, and the like.

For example, information that prompts the user to pay attention to food poisoning includes "currently, outbreaks of food poisoning due to O-157 occur in XX districts. Please be careful when storing and cooking foods!" In using the refrigerator, useful information according to the season and time may be downloaded and displayed.

In this embodiment, the description is made with a picture. However, in the case of explaining with a moving image such as an animation or calling for attention, it is also possible to display a character which is a keyword so as to blink particularly. .

In addition, the self-diagnosis program may be configured to add a control to warn the user with a display and a sound when a prohibited matter or a cautionary note in the instruction is given to the self-diagnosis program. A dedicated program for execution may be added. For example, if the door is left open for more than a predetermined period of time, an alarm is issued to warn the user with a display and sound, or if a hot thing is put into the storage room (if the handling instructions are prohibited), A sensor may detect this and issue an alarm.

Also, in the refrigerator 1 of this embodiment, an example has been shown in which connection to the Internet is made using a wired telephone line, but connection to the Internet is made via a mobile phone or a PHS (Personal Handy Phone). May be configured.

[0029]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in a refrigerator connectable to the Internet, storage means for storing the model of the refrigerator and request means for requesting information on the model And control means for receiving useful information on the model and storing the information in the storage means, so that information effective in using the refrigerator can be displayed on a display, and sound from a speaker can be displayed. , The refrigerator can be easily handled.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the information useful for use with respect to the model is information relating to the instruction, so that the instruction is displayed on the display and the explanation relating to the display is explained by voice. This makes it easy for a person with reduced vision or a visually impaired person to understand the handling instructions and to make the refrigerator easier to handle.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the operation button for starting the operation of the request means and the control means is provided, the instruction manual can be easily updated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of the refrigerator.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a display and an operation unit of the refrigerator.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a display device when an Internet button of the refrigerator is pressed.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the display when the instruction button of the refrigerator is pressed.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram when different descriptions are displayed on the display of the refrigerator.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram when a different description is displayed on the display of the refrigerator.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Refrigerator 7 Speaker 8 Display 9 Operation part 10 Control device (control means) 11 Communication control device 12 Storage means 27 Internet button (operation button,
Request means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A communication control device that can be connected to the Internet, a display that displays the status and settings of the refrigerator, a speaker that emits a sound related to the display, and an operation unit that controls various settings and the like. A refrigerator provided with storage means for storing the type of the refrigerator, request means for requesting information on the type, and control means for receiving the information and storing the information in the storage means. . 2. The refrigerator according to claim 1, wherein the information on the model is information on an instruction. 3. The refrigerator according to claim 1, further comprising an operation button for starting operation of the request unit and the control unit.